Both of those shoes are more explicitly performance-focused and perhaps the Bondi X will sway runners who are put off by the firmer rides of those shoes вЂ“ but if the idea is a more accessible carbon shoe for the masses, the price is off-putting. ItвЂ™s the most expensive Hoka carbon shoe, ahead of the Rocket X at ВЈ140 and Carbon X 2 at ВЈ160. The price of the Bondi X is my main sticking point. The Bondi X can eat up your base training runs happily enough, but then there are an awful lot of shoes that can do that, and most of those donвЂ™t cost ВЈ180. ItвЂ™s also a more stable ride than most carbon shoes, which otherwise are reserved for fast training sessions. On easy runs, though, you can get into a nice groove with it, and when rolling along I did find myself running at a faster pace than expected at times. ItвЂ™s not exactly heavy, but itвЂ™s certainly not light and it feels like thereвЂ™s a whole load of shoe on your foot. On longer runs where I worked through the gears to finish at a steady pace it felt fine, but when running fast from the off, the shoe felt huge and clunky. I will say, however, that itвЂ™s still not a great shoe for fast stuff. The Bondi X is still fairly soft and cushioned, but the extra pop from the plate makes it better suited to faster running too. The Bondi X slips a carbon plate into that high stack of cushioning to produce a stiffer, firmer and more versatile ride.

The standard Bondi is a popular maximally cushioned shoe whose best quality is how comfortable it is on easy runs. With an eye on these runners who are curious but unsure about carbon shoes, Hoka has pitched its Bondi X as a carbon shoe that will work for runners of all levels. They are often soft and unstable too, which can put runners off, and the misconception that super-shoes are the preserve of the fastest does persist, even though evidence suggests that pretty much any runner can benefit. A major part of that will be the price вЂ“ many cost over ВЈ200 вЂ“ and part is the lack of durability, with most carbon shoes falling well short of the 700-800km of running youвЂ™d expect from a traditional running shoe. Once reserved for elite runners, carbon plate running shoes are increasingly common, and every time I take part in a race IвЂ™m struck that theyвЂ™re worn throughout the field, rather than just by the keenest beans at the front.Дespite this popularity, many runners would still wouldnвЂ™t consider this type of shoe вЂњfor themвЂќ.

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